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PACERTRIP CITY EDITIONUS / RACE GUIDE

Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay

The city you want to run becomes your next trip.

USDec 6, 202650km · 42.195km · 21.1km

Tere Rottink · CC BY-SA 3.0

Race date in 48 days: Dec 6, 2026 Sun
City · Distance: Chesapeake · 50km · 42.195km · 21.1km
Entry fee: $85Varies by event and entry period
Status: OpenTBD ~ Sat, December 5, 2026See how to enter ↗

Official website ↗D-day as of Oct 19, 2026

About the race How to enter Course Race Prep Travel

Why you dream of this race

THE DREAM

ABOUT THE RACE

A day you'll remember,
long past the finish line.

It's the 7th Dismal Swamp race.

Event categories include 50K and full marathon, half marathon, and 50K relay, held at the USATF-certified course.

The road to your own record

Picture the course in advance
and find the pace that fits you.

When the city cheers

Streets lined with cheers, runners all around.
You'll be part of that scene.

The trip that follows the run

Take it slow with the finish still in you,
and meet the city all over again.

Stories from runners who've been there.

From the joy of finishing to the tough moments — read what runners wrote themselves.

No runner reports yet. We'll add them here as they come in.

See it on video,
feel it through their stories.

Preview the course and read what runners who went before you wrote.

Full recap

Roger Hopper · Full recap

View on YouTube

This may be from a past edition. Check the organizer for this year's course and operations.

The way in that fits you

YOUR ENTRY

How to reach the start line —
start with what fits you.

Here are the ways to enter and what each requires.
Check the organizer's page for whether entries are open.

Marathon

Entry cost $85

until Oct 29, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Half

Entry cost $70

until Oct 29, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Ultra

Entry cost $90

until Oct 29, 2026 · subject to change — verify officially

Organizer's page

Registration platform RunSignup

Official race website Entry options

From the start line to the finish

RACE WEEK

Your 50km

Know the course and time limit, and race day comes into focus.

Runners start · local timeFrom 07:30

Time limit9 hours

9 hours for all events (finals close at 16:00)

Event	Start
Ultra50km	07:00
Marathon42.195km	07:30
Half21.0975km	07:30

START · FINISH

Rest stop at mile post 4 Dismal Swamp, Chesapeake, VA

Start · Google Maps

Cutoff
9 hour limit, deadline 16:00 finish

Canal Trail round trip course. Half marathon is 1 round trip of 6.55 miles, 2 marathons, and 50K is 4 round trips of 3.88 miles.

Events include Dismal Swamp 50K·Dismal Swamp Marathon·Dismal Swamp Half Marathon·Dismal 50K Relay·Dismal Swamp Half Marathon Walkers.

Start at Rest stop at mile post 4 Dismal Swamp, Chesapeake, VA at 7:30 AM local time.

Course is an out-and-back course.

Typical race-season temperature: around 7°C (45°F): Long sleeves + a throwaway layer for the start

Participant benefits

Not yet confirmed in the official race guide

To the start line,
step by step.

Pick up your bib, check your wave.
So on race morning, you can just run.

From the 2025 edition

Pick up your bib at the expo

Packet pickup information has not yet been announced.
For a small race, race-morning pickup is typical; check the registration page for details.

Stations & transport near the venue

Getting to the startNone - no public transit serves this venue
Transit cardNo dedicated transit card system relevant to this venue.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

More details

Getting to the start

None - no public transit serves this venue

Start at Rest Stop, Mile Post 4, 1246 Dismal Swamp Canal Trail, Chesapeake, VA, on a closed 2-lane roadway inside Dismal Swamp Trail Park. Remote trailhead deep in the Great Dismal Swamp in rural Chesapeake, VA; no public transit access, car only.

Map

Getting to the finish

Same as start

Same rural trailhead; course is an out-and-back with multiple laps depending on distance.

Map

Transit card

No dedicated transit card system relevant to this venue. The Great Dismal Swamp race site is well outside Hampton Roads Transit's (GoPass360 card) service area, so standard car access applies; cash/card accepted for any parking fees.

Source · checked Aug 24, 2026

READY TO RUN

From race morning to after the finish.

Your start time, fuel and bag drop.
Know them ahead and the run feels easier.

December in Chesapeake is chilly, with average temperatures of 7°C.

Your fingertips and ears will feel cold first, so bring gloves and a beanie.

Dress in several light layers so you can remove them while running.

Public transportation does not reach the venue.

Realistically, you will need a private car or rental car.

Registration is handled through the RunSignup platform.

For full marathon, the real race begins after 30 km.

Passing the first half 5–10 seconds slower than your target pace is better for maintaining your pace later, and start taking gels early, before you feel hungry.

The 07:30 start is early.

Working backward from your wake-up time, breakfast, and travel, it is more convenient to stay the night before near start line.

Registration closes on December 5, 2026.

Times are local to Chesapeake. Check the latest official information before the race.

A trip built around the race

STAY A LITTLE

MAKE IT A RUNTRIP

The race is one day,
the trip can be longer.

From a hotel that makes race morning easy,
to the meals and views you'll enjoy with the medal on.

Seeing Chesapeake with the medal on

View all →

The city you ran — this time, a little slower.

Colonial Williamsburg: Colonial History Guided Walking Tour

$27

View on GetYourGuide

Colonial Williamsburg: Original Ghost Sightings Walking Tour

$21

View on GetYourGuide

Hotels that make race morning easyDistances are straight-line from the start.View on map Eating well is part of the tripA meal before the race, a dinner to celebrate the finish.View on map

TRAVEL ESSENTIALS

Trip prep too,
light and in one place.

Checklist Local eSIM · Trip.com Flight delay or cancellation compensation · AirHelp Pace calculator

Once saved, you can open this page without an internet connection

RUN TOGETHER

With runners who dream of
the same start line.

Be the first runner
Leave this room's first post

Chesapeake runners' room

MORE RACES.

FAQ

When does Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay 2026 take place?

It takes place on Sun, December 6, 2026 in Chesapeake, VA, United States.

How much is the Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay 2026 entry fee?

The main event costs $85.

What is the time limit for Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay 2026?

9 hours for all events (finals close at 16:00).

What distances does Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay 2026 offer?

Marathon · Half · Ultra.

What time does Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay 2026 start?

The race starts at 07:30.

Where does Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay 2026 start?

Rest stop at mile post 4 Dismal Swamp, Chesapeake, VA.

What is the Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay 2026 course like?

Events include Dismal Swamp 50K·Dismal Swamp Marathon·Dismal Swamp Half Marathon·Dismal 50K Relay·Dismal Swamp Half Marathon Walkers.

Start at Rest stop at mile post 4 Dismal Swamp, Chesapeake, VA at 7:30 AM local time.

What are the Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay 2026 cutoff times?

9 hour limit, deadline 16:00 finish.

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Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay

About Tidewater Strider Dismal Swamp 50K / Marathon /Half Marathon/50K Relay — what makes it special

A day you'll remember,long past the finish line.

The road to your own record

When the city cheers

The trip that follows the run